


It's A Kind Of Magic

by magic_at_mungos



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-15
Updated: 2013-09-15
Packaged: 2017-12-26 16:57:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/968336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magic_at_mungos/pseuds/magic_at_mungos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Severus finds there's magic in ordinary things</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's A Kind Of Magic

His mam always said that music was what feelings sounded like. Severus never really understood what she meant until he heard the Methodists singing. They were _beautiful_ and nothing like the choir he went to. He’d been pushed into the Anglican choir by his da to get him out of the way. His da always told him he made the place look untidy. 

The Methodist choir practiced on Friday evenings after the mill closed and when the other men were busy drinking their wages. Severus would sidle into the back of the church and sit in a pew to listen in awe. Mam once said that the Anglicans couldn't sing their way out of a paper bag although she had said it very quietly and out of earshot of his father. 

One Friday evening in the early autumn when the nights were starting to lengthen, there was someone in his seat. He’d seen her and her sister running in and out at the end and they’d never even said hello. Severus’s mouth twisted. _Their _da wore a suit and a shiny watch and probably only had one drink on a Friday. He never saw their mam with a black eye or shabby clothes.__

__He stopped and looked at the small red haired girl warily. Finally he said, “You’re in my chair.” Swinging her legs, she twisted to look at him. “I know. It’s the only way you’d talk to me. Every time I tried to after practice ended, you’d disappear.”_ _

__Severus shrugged. “Why do you want to talk to me?”_ _

__Lily softly sang along with the chorus of _Swing Low, Sweet Chariot_ and then her voice trailed off. “Just because.” She pushed her hair out of her eyes and shuffled along in her chair. Severus sat down next to her nervously. _ _

__“Da wants to know if you can sing. He’s seen you sitting here.”_ _

__Severus frowned and blurted out “But I’m Anglican.”_ _

__Lily giggled and then said, “He’s asking you to sing with them, not convert, you daft thing.” He flushed and didn't know what to say. She continued to talk, ignoring his silence. “Me mam says, if you’re worried you and your mam can come round for tea and they can have a chat.”_ _

__Shyly, he said, “I’d like that.”_ _

__Lily hopped down from the pew. “Good. I’ll talk to your mam. She’s the slim dark lady who sometimes comes up to the office, isn't she?” Blushing again, he nodded. His mam sometimes tried to get his da’s wages before they ended up behind the bar and he hated her having to do it._ _

__As she reached the door, she turned and said “My name’s Lily, by the way.” And before Severus could say another word, Lily had disappeared into the darkening twilight._ _

__He didn't say anything to his mam. Severus thought Lily was just making fun of him. He’d seen her sister give him sidelong looks that _screamed_ out the fact she thought he was something she’d trod in. Probably something smelly too. But at Monday tea time, his mam looked at him over her cup of stewed tea and said slowly, “Someone came to see me today.”_ _

__Severus dropped his knife onto the floor and it clattered loudly in the silence. She continued, “A Lily Evans and her father. He works in the office up at the mill. They said that she spoke to you on Friday.”_ _

__He nodded and said slowly, “He wants me to try out for the Methodist choir. Lily said that she would ask me and you to tea.”_ _

__His mam nodded. “Well she did, and we’re going round tomorrow. Your da has his darts match then and won’t miss us.” Severus felt a stab of loathing for his da again. _Other_ fathers didn't spend all their time in the pub. “And I haven’t the foggiest what you’ll wear. You’re growing so fast.” She sighed. “We’ll manage.” _ _

__He’d fallen asleep to the sounds of his mam washing and ironing his school shirt. Severus woke up with a stomach ache. His mam was brisk and packed him off to school. “You’re to walk home with the girls. I’ll meet you there.”_ _

__Lily skipped up to him n the playground at break time and said “Mam says that you’re to walk home with me and Pet after school.”_ _

__Severus said slightly brusquely, “Yes, I know.” He wasn't used to someone with so much bounce._ _

__Lily seemed unfazed by his abrupt tone. “And she’s made apple and blackberry crumble as well.”_ _

__“For _us_?” _ _

__Lily nodded. “She says your ma is dead nice. I think she wants her to join the Women’s Institute as well. See you later, Sev.”_ _

__And without a further word, she ran off to take her turn in hopscotch with her friends. Severus sat down on the wall and tried to sort out what had happened. Miss Andrews told him off twice for daydreaming and he was late coming in from lunch, as he hadn't heard the bell. The afternoon bell rang and Severus waited at the school gates for Lily and Petunia. If you didn't know, you could hardly tell they were sisters. Lily’s knees were grubby and her shirt was hanging out of her skirt whereas Petunia still looked as neat and tidy as she did first thing in the morning._ _

__Lily could talk the hind leg off a donkey. Severus would barely have time to answer before she would go off on another train of thought. Petunia didn't say much and would only occasionally admonish Lily for making up outlandish stories. Halfway through another story of pirates and hidden treasure, they reached the Evans home, which was above the canal and on the edges of the moors. He could smell cooking and he heard his mam talking to Mrs Evans. He’d never heard her so chatty with anyone._ _

__Mrs Evans was small, with reddish hair and it was clear that Lily took after her mam. She kissed Lily and Petunia and nodded at Severus. “Lovely to meet you. Your mam has been telling me all about you.” Severus gave her a small smile as he looked around the cosy kitchen and he could see the garden from the window._ _

__“Sit down. You can all have some tea or juice and some bread and jam to keep until Alan comes home. Then you can get out of my hair.” Lily laughed and made a face at her mother, who ruffled her hair._ _

__Severus was slightly gobsmacked by being able to have butter as well as jam and ate his slice very carefully. Once he’d finished, Lily dragged out of the back door and into the garden. “Da made us a really cool tree house. Come and see it.” Severus trailed after her and saw a small house in the branches of a tree and a rope ladder._ _

__Lily clambered up, talking non stop about school and her dance classes and Mrs Smith in the Post Office. Severus only made a few comments and grew to like Lily’s chatter. Hearing Mrs Evans call from the house, they clambered down and ran to the house. There was stew and bread and the kitchen smelt wonderful. Severus’s stomach growled and he stopped suddenly as he saw Mr Evans sitting at the kitchen table laughing._ _

__Lily ran to her father and gave him a big hug and Severus hovered in the doorway. Mr Evans looked at him with a smile. “Nice to finally meet you. We were beginning to think we had a ghost at practice.” Severus turned pink and with a nod from his mam, he came in and sat next to her._ _

__As Mrs Evans bought the last bowl of vegetables to the table and the two families started eating. Severus didn't say much as he ate. He liked listening to the Evans actually take an interest in what their daughters had to say and even Petunia seemed less miserable. Even his mam seemed more relaxed. When Mr Evans scraped the bottom of his bowl and sat back, he turned to look directly at Severus._ _

__“Your ma says you can sing and you can hear when you’re out. Would you mind coming to practice with me on Friday? Just to see if you like it. We don’t have anyone who can hit any of the high notes, at least not since Jimmy’s voice broke.”_ _

__Severus chewed on his lip. “What if my da don’t like it? And what will Father say? He don’t like the Methodists.” He looked at his mam for answers._ _

__She said briskly, “I will deal with your da. And Father can lump it. He couldn't hear talent if it hit him on the nose.” Severus looked at her in awe. She almost never spoke like that._ _

__He bounced a little in his seat. “I’d like to come. You can sing good.” He added a little shyly, “I liked it when you were singing that song from Carousel. That one about the storm.” I saw it when they played in the flicks in Rochdale.”_ _

__Mr Evans looked at him thoughtfully. “Don’t worry about Father. I’ll have a chat.” He gave a sudden grin – the same one that Lily and Petunia had and ruffled Severus’s hair. “Now run off and let us work out the details.”_ _

__Lily and Petunia dragged him out of the door to the canal and they chatted to the passing boatsmen until the night drew in and Mrs Snape was waiting to walk home with him. He looked up at her. “I love you mam.” She gave his shoulders a squeeze._ _

__“Music is a kind of magic. It’s real and any ordinary person can see it. You’re not ordinary darling.” She pressed a kiss to his forehead. “Don’t mention it to your da. He doesn’t understand magic.”_ _

**Author's Note:**

> Severus and Lily are about 8 in this fic and Petunia a little younger and none of them know there is such a thing as real magic yet. In my head, Lily and Severus grew up in [Todmorden](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todmorden) and I still quite like the idea that Lily kept a strong Yorkshire accent


End file.
